Method and apparatus for facilitating cutting of a unit dose blister card
AssigneeMcKesson Automation Inc.
InventorRobert Jaynes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for facilitating cutting of unit dose blisters from a blister card is provided. The apparatus may include a platform, a clamp, a blade and a sensor. The blister card may be positionable on the platform for cutting. The clamp may be positionable to hold a portion of the blister card in contact with the platform for cutting when the clamp is seated. The clamp may be operatively coupled to a guillotine head. The blade may also be operatively coupled to the guillotine head. The guillotine head may be configured to move the blade through a range of motion that intersects a plane of the platform. The sensor may be positioned to detect a seating status of the clamp to enable control of movement of the guillotine head based on the seating status.
Claims20
An apparatus for cutting a blister card, the apparatus comprising:
- a platform on which the blister card is positionable for cutting;
- a clamp positionable to hold a portion of the blister card in contact with the platform for cutting when the clamp is seated, the clamp being operatively coupled to a guillotine head;
- a blade operatively coupled to the guillotine head, the guillotine head being configured to move the blade through a range of motion that intersects a plane of the platform;
- and
- a sensor positioned to detect a seating status of the clamp to enable control of movement of the guillotine head based on the seating status.
A method of cutting a blister card, the method comprising:
- moving a clamp into contact with a portion of the blister card to press the blister card into contact with a platform;
- determining a seating state of the clamp with a sensor;
- and
- enabling cutting of the blister card via a blade in slidable contact with a cutting base in which the clamp is positioned based on the seating state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.